Ravindra Jahagirdar

Collected Stories Ravindra Jahagirdar

Reading public is curious . Whereever I go, they ask when do I write ? How do I get ideas?' Well, here is a conversation I had at a wedding: 'Your favourite time is mid-night. No?''Yes. That is because the dogs aren't barking. The donkeys aren't braying. Everyone is asleep. That is the best time. Outside noise cannot interrupt your flow of thoughts. ''Common !'' Sometimes I am in the middle of writing when the ideas are flowing. I try to capture the first gush of the magical ideas. The God of ideas descend to the Earth during night and bless us. But not every night, you see, no. That is absurd to think so. Writing can be boring much of the time.''Gods of ideas? They give ideas to you?''Who else?''You don't have your own original ideas ?''There is nothing original in this world, you see. Everything is from above. Some times from below too.''From below ?''From below the Earth. We all came from the soil. We go back there after we are finished here. It's like going back safely Home. That is the most basic of the Ideas. Without that, there are no other ideas which have the fragrance of the Earth. During the day, we are vertically oriented and closer to the sky and it's magical light; during the nights we are horizontal, closer to the Earth. Why? Do you know ? Back home by nightfall, to end the day's activity, to sleep and dream.'#